1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a poker game and, more particularly, to a poker game in which the player has an option of choosing between a first and a second hand dealt from separate decks of cards. More specifically, the present invention relates to a poker game that permits the player to reject an initial hand for a hidden, second hand, with an adjustment to the payout table also made upon a selection of the second hand, reflecting the changed odds.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The initial popularity of video poker machines was somewhat of a surprise to the gaming industry. It was not long before their popularity eclipsed the traditional slot machine. Various explanations followed to explain this phenomenon, and in more recent times a number of variations have been introduced in an effort to keep this concept fresh.
As originally offered, video poker was based on a game of five card draw, using a single deck of cards. An original five card hand is dealt, and the player elects which, if any, will be held. The non-held cards are discarded, and, using the same single deck, replacement cards are dealt to bring the card count up to five. This five card combination defines the “final hand,” and the player's winnings, if any, are determined by a comparison of this hand to a payout table. Winning card combinations are paired with possible initial wagers to calculate payoffs.
The spread of legalized gaming, particularly through Indian gaming expansion, has intensified the competition for players. In response video game manufacturers have sought to design and provide different types of electronic video poker games. Subsequent modifications have included changes to the game itself, including the use of “wild cards,” such as “jokers” and “deuces,” as well as adapting seven-card stud poker, and similar variations, in a video game format.
Other modifications have been to the process of playing the game. As players familiar with video games become an increasing percentage of potential customers, casinos are demanding video poker machines that offer alternatives to the player. These options might include the ability to play multiple games of video poker for a single wager, or the ability to replay a hand, such as is disclosed in Cooper et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,045,129. A more recent innovation of play permits a player to select from two distinct hands at the beginning of a game, Dabrowski et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,356,140. Under this latter procedure, two distinct hands are dealt face up, from separate decks, and the player selects one of them for play, with the unselected hand voided or removed from view.
Notwithstanding these newer variations on the original video poker game, there continues to be a demand for new and interesting video poker games to maintain the interest of present gamblers while attracting the uninitiated. Studies of gaming psychology have indicated that the gambling experience is heightened by providing a player with additional or alternative opportunities for reward, but with an associated and unknown risk. There is a need for a video poker game that provides such alternative opportunities for a player, increasing the likelihood of initiating play of the machine, as well as the likelihood that a player will remain playing through multiple play cycles.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of playing a card game, either live or electronic, that encourages extended play time by providing additional play options of unknown risk/reward.
It is a feature of the present invention to provide a method of playing a card game in which a player is provide an option of rejecting an initial hand of known card values for a second hand of unknown card values that is dealt from a separate deck. Upon selection of the second deck, the first deck is removed, the card values of the second deck become known, and an adjustment is made to the payout tables to reflect the odds benefit to the player of obtaining the second hand. The second hand is played out by the player in a conventional manner, and wins or losses are determined by the revised payout table.
It is an advantage of the present invention that more interest in the poker game is obtained by providing an optional replacement hand of unknown card values. The payback percentage is maintained by altering the payout table to accommodate the optional election of hands. The increased interest in playing combined with payout table adjustments results in increased profits to the gaming machine owner/operator.
These objects, as well as other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent upon review of the description of a non-limiting illustrative embodiment and the accompanying drawings.